Panthers’ Strategy

Now that the 49ers have found a little offense, what will they do with it? In the win last Sunday against the Cardinals, the 49ers set season highs in yards, passing yards and points. They did it mainly through a series of short passes to running backs and tight ends. In fact of Trent Dilfer’s 25 completions, 19 went to running backs and tight ends.

Frank Gore, who caught a career-high 11 passes for 98 yards, was asked why he caught so many balls.

“They didn’t blitz much,” Gore said in his typically succinct manner. When teams do blitz, Gore usually stays in to pass protect. The 49ers also wanted to go deep against the Cardinals’ injured secondary but were mostly thwarted with Arizona keeping both safeties deep.

The answer to the 49ers’ deep offensive woes appears to be to play a team that doesn’t blitz and to throw short to tight ends and running backs. The Panthers don’t blitz much either and this time, the 49ers might design short throws to tight ends and running backs instead of using them as outlets.

To do it, the 49ers will probably have to spread out their offense, just like they did against the Cardinals. With an offense that’s spread out, a defense is less likely to blitz and when they do, the offense usually knows where the extra man or men are coming from.

The Packers had a terrific plan against the Panthers in their 31-17 win on Nov. 18. They went almost exclusively with a multiple-receiver formation and for the first time all season, Green Bay trotted out a five-receiver alignment, which is something the 49ers never use. While Trent Dilfer isn’t Brett Favre, the 49ers should employ a similar strategy.

If the Panthers do blitz, the 49ers will have to do something different to set up Gore in the passing game. Against the constantly-blitzing Eagles last year, the backs and tight ends caught 15 of Alex Smith’s 27 completions. Gore, who caught six passes that day, went on screens, lined up as a wide receiver and was a quick check down when the Eagles didn’t blitz. The 49ers might have to move quickly to that strategy if Carolina brings the heat.

OBSERVATIONS: In watching last year’s tape of the Eagles’ game, it was hard to fathom a quarterback playing a better game for the 49ers in the last three years than Alex Smith did in that one. He was hit 15 times while completing 27-of-46 passes for 293 yards, a touchdown and no interceptions. However, Mike Nolan said this week that the last two games Dilfer played were the best Nolan has seen in his 49ers’ tenure.

Dilfer was good in the last two games, he completed 45-for-81 passes for 487 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. But Smith’s game was better considering the opponent and the voracious pass rush he faced. Even the head coach forgets about some of Smith’s better performances.

Also, in that Philly game, the offense looked crisp. The team got out of the huddle quickly and they had the defense doggedly adjusting to the constant motion of the offense. This year, there’s less motion and the unit isn’t playing with the same confidence.

That’s what happens when a team goes from a Hall-of-Fame offensive coordinator in Norv Turner, to Jim Hostler, who has never called plays at the NFL level before.

TODAY’S QUESTION: What should the 49ers do offensively to win in Carolina?